Moving On
by HarryPotterTNGfan
Summary: Rose returns to the TARDIS, but is that a good thing?
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor didn't know how, in all of the universe, this was possible. All of his travels through space and time, witnessing the unexpected, and learning the ways of the universe, could not stop his complete baffledness at what he saw before him. Even so, he didn't care, because the one person he missed more than anyone stood before him on the TARDIS, smiling up at him from the door.

"Hello, Doctor," she said calmly, without moving forward.

The Doctor stared for a long moment, brain working to figure out if this was just another dream of his. Without breaking eye contact, he reached for his side and pinched hard. It hurt. A lot, actually. "So I'm not dreaming, then," turned out to be his reply.

Rose Tyler laughed and said, "Nope, you're not. It's me."

"But how? You - you were in the parallel Universe, then you came back, and you and me - and the daleks! Then I brought you back home, and - " the Doctor realized that he was babbling and finished meekly, "It's not possible for you to be here."

"Well, I am."

"How?"

"It's a long story."

"A story that will have to be told," said the Doctor, and he took a single step forward.

Rose looked around, still leaning on the door. "The TARDIS changed," she observed.

"So did you," said the Doctor, noticing the longer hair and older look in general.

"And you."

"Yes, well, you're used to that by now, I'm sure." There was a silence, then the Doctor noticed something. "Where's...well...me? The other me - the human me?"

"Long story," Rose repeated.

The Doctor nodded, not really caring about the answer at this very moment, anyway. He took another step forward. Rose copied him, looking tentative. Finally, the Doctor gave in and jumped down from the console to embrace Rose, and she returned the hug as he lifted her off the ground happily.

When they finally detached, Rose asked, "Is it really you, Doctor? I mean, I know you can change - I saw it myself - but..."

"It's me."

Rose nodded. "How did you...change? I mean...what happened?"

The Doctor snorted. "Another long story."

Rose laughed. "I guess we'll have to sit down for tea and spill the beans some time."

"How about now?"

Rose looked back at the door, as if she was expecting someone to pop through it at any moment, but finally said, "Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

It all made sense now. The Doctor - the human Doctor, that is - grew a TARDIS of his own, and he and Rose Tyler had been traveling the Universe just like old times for over a year now. One day, they discovered a black hole. A massive black hole. One bigger than the super black hole at the center of the Milkyway. It swallowed half of the Solarni Galaxy, along with the TARIDIS, and dumped them in another Universe. Once they'd figured out it was _this_ Universe they were trapped in, Rose had asked if they could find the Time Lord Doctor.

"And it took forever too," said Rose, who was sitting across the table from the Doctor. "You never stay in one place! We've been trying to catch up to you for weeks now!"

"Sorry," said the Doctor. "Always busy, you know me." He straitened his bow tie absently, and pulled at one of his suspenders.

Rose smiled, then suddenly changed her expression as she gazed across the table at him, her head tilted to the side.

"What?" asked the Doctor, looking down at his shirt. "Did I spill tea on myself?"

"No, it's just that I can't get over how different you are - and I don't mean just your face. It's just..." Rose looked away, suddenly embarrassed.

"Just what?"

"Oh, nevermind. It's nothing."

"No, you were going to say something. What is it?"

Rose frowned, trying to think of how to put whatever was on her mind. "It's just...you seem so...oh, for lack of a better term - _dorky_." She laughed at her comment to show that she meant it in the best way.

The Doctor sat back in his chair, looking just slightly offended. "How so?"

"Well...look at you. Suspenders. Tweed jacket. And a _bow tie?_ All you're missing is your pocket protector!" Rose laughed jokingly.

"Hey! Bow ties are cool." The Doctor adjusted the bow tie again, displaying the stripes proudly.

"I'm just saying, it's a bit of a change from the leather jacket."

"I could put it on, if you like," said the Doctor in a tone that made it hard for Rose to tell if he was kidding or not.

"You still have it?"

"I do. Do you want to see it? Be right back!" and without further ado, the Doctor jumped from his table and out of the room, leaving Rose without a chance to respond.


	3. Chapter 3

Rose sat at the table alone, inspecting her nails as she waited for the Doctor in the upper section of the TARDIS. Finally, impatient, she raised half way in her seat and peered out of the doorway, wondering where he was. "Are you going to come back any time soon?" she called down the cooridor, but there was no response. How long did it take to put on a jacket?

Rose wished the Doctor hadn't gone. Her Doctor - it was funny calling him that now, considering that she had a hard time thinking of him as even _a_ Doctor at first - could show up at any moment, declairing that it was time to go. Right now, he was a galaxy away, trying to figure out how to get the them - and the Solarni Galaxy, before it could cause any changes in the other galaxies around it - back to their Universe.

It was only for her that he had left Rose with the Time Lord Doctor; it was clear that he knew she still thought of him as the real Doctor. It was also clear that he was a bit hurt by her request, but he let her go anyway, because it obviously meant a lot to her. Rose loved him for that.

Suddenly, Rose could hear steps coming up corridor, and she looked up as the Doctor jumped into the room, sporting a very familiar black leather jacket. He spun around in it and said, "So? What do you think?"

Rose had to conceal a grin as she tried to think of a response. The jacket was quite big on him now; he was much shorter and thinner than he used to be. The undershirt he was wearing almost reached his knees; this was clearly another item from the Doctor's old wardrobe. "Fantastic!" ended up being Rose's comment.

"A brilliant word to use!" said the Doctor with a smile. He hitched up his trousers before sitting back down, and Rose realized that he was also wearing a pair of his old jeans.

"Was it really neccesary to put those on too?"

"Not really, but why must something be neccesary for it to be done?"

"So, in other words, you thought, 'What the hell? I'll just go put on some pants that'll probably fall to my ankles without a belt!'"

"Exactly!"

Rose smiled. She knew that the Doctor was trying to convince her that he was still the same tall, big-eared man she met almost eight years ago. It wasn't neccesary, though. She knew it was him. If the fact that they were sitting in the TARDIS and the fact that he had a sonic screwdriver in his pocket wasn't enough, Rose was assured that he still was the Doctor every time he gased at her across the table. He still looked at her in that same way that she remembered. She loved the way he looked at her, even with a new face. He was still the Doctor, and even after five years apart, she knew he still thought of her the same way as he did on the Game Station. And she knew she did too.


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor noticed Rose staring at him, and wondered what she was thinking. "I have a question," he asked suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Are you married?"

Rose raised her eyebrows in surprise, then said quietly, "Do you mean to the Doctor?"

He blinked in response.

At first Rose said nothing, then slowly raised her hand above the table. A brilliant ring rested on her finger, sparkling in the light.

The Doctor wasn't sure whether to be happy or not, but because Rose was waiting for a reaction, he smiled. "Congradulations."

Rose smiled back and thanked him, then looked at the Doctor seriously. "I've really missed you, Doctor."

"What do you mean? You've had me all this - "

"No, I mean _you_. Yes, I know he's you, too, but..." Rose sighed, not knowing how to explain. After a while, she changed the subject, "How about you? Have you been traveling with anyone?"

"Lately, no. I had this friend, Clara, and there was Amy and Rory. They were married. Wait, just Amy and Rory, I mean. And you knew Donna, of course. She's...back home now. You, see, after - "

"I know what happened," interrupted Rose. When the Doctor gave her a puzzled look, she explained, "Apparently the Doctor is sort of...linked with Donna now, because of the meta-crisis. He could feel and knew what was happening when you took her memories away, and he told me. I'm sorry. I liked her a lot."

The Doctor nodded, solemn.

"But I'm not talking about friends. I mean, has there been anyone...special?"

The Doctor's mind automatically went to a name. "Yes. I'm married, actually."

Again, Rose's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Really?"

The Doctor grinned at her reaction. "Her name's River. River Song. Amy and Rory's daughter, but that's a long story."

"When were you married?"

The Doctor sighed.

"Let me guess? Another long story?" laughed Rose.

"Yeah, sort of. The end of the Universe, Teselecta - these little people driving a big robot. The ususual nonsense, but the point is, we're married, anyway." The Doctor reached for his throat, as if to adjust his bowtie out of habit, but forgot that it wasn't there. "Right, I think I'll go change back into my regular clothes." The Doctor moved to get up, but Rose stopped him.

"Doctor, wait." He sat back down, and Rose said slowly, "If things were different...If we were still together, traveling, do you think we would have...?"

The Doctor nodded. "I would hope so."

Rose's expression was unreadable, and the Doctor continued to stare at her. After a moment, he had the urge to get up, and he walked to the other side of the table. Rose looked up at him, and seemed mildy surprised when he kissed her on the forehead. Before he could stand up straight again, Rose grabbed him by the jacket and pressed her lips to his. When he didn't back away, she deepened the kiss, and the Doctor pulled her up into a standing position while wrapping his arms around her waist.

Steps came from behind them, and a man with a blue pinstripped suit and black-rimmed glasses appeared at the door. He seemed preoccupied by something that was behind him as he said, "Sorry, when no one anwered the door, I used the key. Turns out it works on this TARIDS too! But Rose, it's time to - " He cut himself off when he turned around to look into the room, gaping at the scene before him. Even though Rose and the Doctor had stopped kissing right when they heard someone in the cooridor, it could not have been clearer what had just occured.

"Oh," said the 10th Doctor in a higher voice than usual. "Hello."

"Hi," said Rose and the 11th Doctor in unison, looking awkward. There was a long silence as the Doctor thought, _Well, I don't think it could get any more awkward than this._ As if on queue, his pants dropped to the floor with a soft _chink. I guess it can._


	5. Chapter 5

For a moment, there was absolute silence. It was quite awkward, and the fact that the 11th Doctor's pants were on the floor didn't help, but he made no move to fix either problem.

"Doing some catching up, then?" said the 10th Doctor finally, stepping into the room. He did not look at Rose, but stood facing the 11th Doctor, looking him up and down, and lingering on his trousers. "So, you've regenerated? Could've sworn I would have felt it or something when it happened. It's been a bit of a record for me, really, going so long without it. Been over eight years since we were at the Game Station, can you believe it? Of course, that's probably a good thing, though, because I can't regenerate anymore, so - "

The Doctor stopped ubruptly, realizing he was starting to babble. The other Doctor knew that he only did that when he didn't know what to do in a situation, which happened more than people knew. "So, how did it happen?" the human Doctor finished.

The 11th Doctor looked hesitant, but then said softly, "Saving Wilfred Mott from a radiation exposure. I absorbed the energy, and it was enough to kill me."

"Wilfred Mott?" said Rose. "Donna's grandfather?"

"'He will knock four times,'" continued the Doctor. "The prophecy. It was him, knocking on the glass."

"Is he alright, now?"

"Yes. He's living a happy, rich life. That is, if Donna was willing to share her lottery ticket money." The Doctor was going to wink at Rose, but considering what the other Doctor had just walked in on, he thought better of it.

"I have another question," said the human Doctor rather seriously, crossing his arms. The 11th Doctor, knowing he'd ask about the kiss, felt uncomfortable again. "Why are your pants still on the floor?"

Eyes wide, the Doctor looked down to find that his trousers were indeed still around his ankles. He looked back up and said, "Right. Perhaps I should go find a belt." He moved to leave the room, then asked, mostly to Rose, "Will you be gone when I come back?"

"Only if your pants are still down."

"Oh, right. Good answer." The Doctor, finally pulling up his trousers, left the room.

Ripping off the leather jacket as he reached his enormous wardrobe, he thought,_ I can't believe I used to wear this stupid thing! What people must have thought! I don't know what I was thinking back then! Now, where's that bowtie?_ Finding it hanging from the horn on one of his old Viking helmets, the Doctor began changing back into his normal attire. Once he looked like himself again, he made his way back to where Rose was hopefully still waiting, reluctant to meet his human self again.


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor walked back to the room and found that it was empty. A wave of disappointment washed over him, but not surprise. He did wish he could have said goodbye, but maybe it was for the best.

"Doctor?" called somebody from a place the Time Lord could not see.

"Rose?" The Doctor peered around, finally dropping his gase to his feet, where through the holes of the floor he could see Rose standing at the consol in the main part of the TARDIS. "What are you doing down there?" He put his eye to the floor so he could get a better look at her.

"The Doctor left - back to his TARDIS. He wanted to give us time to say goodbye." There was a silence as Rose stared up at the Doctor's eye poking through one of the holes in the ceiling before she said, "Could you come down here?"

"Be right there." A few moments passed as the Doctor made his way to the control room. Once he was facing Rose, there was another silence.

Finally, Rose stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

"Wait, where are you going?" The Doctor wasn't keen to have her leave so soon. He had been planning an elaborate adventure for old time's sake in his head for the past hour.

"The Doctor figured out a way to bring the Solarni Galaxy back to its own Universe, and...we're going too."

"Oh, right." The Doctor turned to the console, away from Rose. After a moment, he said rather sharply, "Shouldn't you be going, then?"

"Yeah, I suppose I should." Rose stayed rooted to the spot. "I don't want to leave you."

"Why not?" said the Doctor, still facing the console. "You have him."

"He's still not you."

"For goodness sake, Rose!" the Doctor snapped, turning to face her. "You're _married_ to him!"

"I know, but - "

"And he's just like me! Better yet, he _is _me! You married _me_, Rose, and it's not fair to him that you keep acting like he's someone else when he feels like he's just as much the Doctor as I am." The Doctor realized too late that he was shouting, and he continued in a much softer voice, "It's time to move on from me and go with him."

"But what about you? You're alone, Doctor. It's not fair to you."

"Yes, well, if I've learned one thing in nine hundred and eleven years, it's that life isn't fair. I'm pretty used to that by now." The Doctor took a deep breath. "Go with him, the Doctor. It's time to move on. It's time for both of us to move on."

Rose's lip trembled, but she nodded. With another hug, she managed a smile and said, "Goodbye, Doctor."

"Goodbye."

Rose let go and walked away from the console to the door. As she opened it, the Doctor could see the other TARDIS outside. It looked like a duplicate of his police box. For a brief moment, he wondered why the other Doctor didnt change it's appearance now that he had a fully operational chameleon circuit, but quickly realized that if he ever managed to fix his, he wouldn't be able to part with the police call box, either. One could say it had certainly grown on him.

With one last look back, Rose stepped out of the TARDIS for the last time, and the Doctor turned his back to the door. He knew that he'd never see Rose Tyler again. He was glad, though, that he got to say a proper goodbye this time, and to know that she was safe and happy with her new life. And he was fine, he really was. The Doctor loved Rose Tyler, but even she knew he was right when he said that it was time to move on, and that's what they were doing. They were moving on.


End file.
